Tobacco-stemming machine



4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. B. UNDERWOOD. TOBACCO STEMMING MACHINE.

Patented-Jul 23, 1895.

1 91 15; cfflS G/ZB Uizrlerzz/oacl (No Modl. 4 Sheets-Sheet 2,

J. B. UNDERWOOD; TOBAGGO STEMMING MAGHINE.

' Patented Jul 23,1895.

4 Sheets- Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

J B UNDERWOOD TOBACCO STBMMING MACHINE. NO. 543,143. I Patented Ju1y'23, 1895.

f vlEllil i E Q My a (No Model.) V 4 Sheetssheet 4.

.. J. B. UNDER-WOOD.

TOBACCO STEMMING MACHINE.

No. 543,143. Patented July 23, 1895.

l I! l W! H M V I;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH B. UNDERWOOD, OF FAYETTEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA.

TOBACCO-STEM MING. MACHINE.

, SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 543,143, dated July 23, 1895. Application filed November l9, 1894:. Serial No. 529,334. (No model.)

- yetteville, in the county of Cumberland and State of North Carolina, have invented cer- 'tain new and useful Improvements in Tobacco-Stemming Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tobacco-stemming machines; and it has for its object to effect certain improvements in machines of this character that provide for stripping or removing the main longitudinal stem from leaf-tobacco.

To this end the main and primary object of the present invention is to provide a machine that will positively and completely secure this result by providing means for stripping the leaf entirely from the stem from end to end of the stem, which tapers off very thin toward one end of the leaf. In the attainment of this object the present invention particularly contemplates a construction of stemming-machine providing for a drawing action on the stem, while the body portion of the leaf is held in a manner that allows the stemto be practically torn or severed from the leaf in contradistinction to the usual method of cutting or sawing the leaf from the stem, as involved in some machines heretofore made for this purpose.

With these and other objects in view, which will readily appear as the nature of the. in-

vention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination,

and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a tobacco-stemming machine constructedin accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is acentral vertical longitudinal sectional View of the machine. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the stripping mechanism at one end of the machine. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, the line of section including the grooves of the uppergrooved feed-roll and the upper grooved stripper-roll. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail in perspective of a portion of the upper grooved stripper-roll and the strip per-plate at one side of and below the same.

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view on the line8 8- of Fig. 5. Fig. 9 is an enlarged detailin per-' spective of a portion of the guide-plate. Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view on the line 10 10 of Fig. 2. Fig. 11 isa detail in perspective of a short section of the stationary cleaner-plate. Fig. 12 is an enlarged diagrammatic sectional, view, showing a simplified arrangement of the stripper and drawing rolls, without the use of guide-belts for the leaf. Fig. 13 is an enlarged detail elevation of the stripper-rolls and adjacent stripper-plate, showing a modified construction of these parts.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

1 designates a supporting frame or stand constructed in any suitable manner to provide for supporting the working parts of the ma chine above the floor. The machine frame or stand 1 supports on the top thereof the flat feed-table 2, over which passes the upper portion of an endless feed-belt 3 that runs longitudinally from end to end of the frame, at the top thereof. The said endless feed-belt 3 may consist of a continuous smooth cloth belt or may be constructed in any other suitable manner to provide for feeding the tobacco-leaf with the stem therein to the stripping mechanism of the machine, and one portion of said endless feed-belt passes over the fixed lower stripper-r0115 and the opposite portion of said belt passes over the adjustable end-belt roller 6, the spindle extremities of which are journaled in the opposite movable bearing-boxes .7. The opposite movable bearing-boxes 7 are mounted to slide on opposite top side portions of the frame 1, at one end thereof, and work over the guide-pins 8, projected outwardly from the stationary cleats 9, secured on opposite top portions of the frame 1, adjacent to one end thereof, and said bearing-boxes 7 are adjusted by means of the adjusting-screws 10, working through threaded openings therein and against the stationary cleats 9. The adjustment of said bearing-boxes 7 provides for maintaining the feed-belt 3 at the proper tension, and arranged transversely across. .the top portion of the frame 1, under the lower portion of the belt 3, at an intermediate point, is the transverse cleaning-brush 11, that contacts with the said lower portion of the feedbelt and cleans the same from any adhering loo particles of tobacco, dirt, or the like, so that a clean top portion of the feed-belt will always he presented for carrying the tobaccoleaves to the stripping mechanism.

The fixed lower stripper-roll is arranged on the frame 1 adjacent to one end of the feed-table 2, and said stripper-roll is made of wood, rubber, or other suitable material, and is mounted fast on the shaft 12, the opposite spindle extremities of which are journaled in the lower portion of the opposite bearing-uprights 13, projected from opposite top sides of the frame 1, at one end thereof, and said bearing-uprights 13 are each provided with a pair of vertically-disposed bearing-slots 14, the function of which will be referred to. The said lower stripper-roll 5 has arranged directly thereover, and working in contact therewith, the upper stripper-roll 15, the spindle extremities of which roll are mounted to turn in the vertically-movable bearing-blocks 16, that are arranged to slide in directly-opposite slots 14 of the bearing-uprights 13. The bearing-blocks 16 are arranged to be normally pressed downward by means of apair of transverse adjusting-bars 17, having their ends working in directly-opposite slots 14 above the blocks 16, and having interposed therebetween a rubber cushion or spring 18 to admit of a slight vertical play for the upper stripper-roll 15. The upper of said adjusting-bars 17 has working over the opposite ends thereof the lower ends of the adjustingscrews 19, mounted for adjustment in both ends of the stationary upper cross-bar 20, connecting the uprights 13 directly above the cross-bars 17.

The upper stripper-roll15, working directly above and in contact with the lower stripperroll 5, is provided with a parallel series of circular stem-grooves 21, regularly spaced from each other and ranging from end to end of the roll, and intermediate of the grooves 21 the said roll is provided with the plain intermediate reduced belt portions 22, that receive at the top of the roll a portion of the parallel series of narrow guide-belts 23, which belts eX- tend beyond one side of the roll and pass around the upper grooved feed-roll 24. The upper feed-roll 24 is arranged in a plane slightly above the plane of the roll 15, and is also provided from end to end thereof with a parallel series of circular-spaced stem-grooves 25 and plain reduced belt portions 26, intermediate of the grooves 25, to receive therein the portion of the several belts 23, that pass therearound, and the lower portions of the said belts 23, that pass below the roll 15, fit closely on and extend partly around the lower stripper-roll 5, and one portion of the said belts 23 extends to a point below the lower stripperroll 5 and the feed-belt passing therearound and pass around the lower adjustable tension- ,roller 27, which roller is provided with aseries of peripheral flanges 28, spaced from each other to form belt portions for the reception of the belts passing .therearound. The said lower tension-roller 27 isjournaled or mounted between the free ends of the adjustable bearing-arms 29, that are pivoted at one end, as at 30, at opposite inner sides of the frame 1, near the top thereof, and said bearing-arms 29 have loosely connected thereto at an intermediate point the upper ends of the adjusting-bolts 31, mounted in the keepers 32, secured to the inner sides of the frame 1 and engaged by the nuts 33 to provide for securing an adjustment of the arms 29, whereby the belts 23 may be maintained at a proper tension.

The-upper grooved feed-roll 24, at one side of the roll 15, has the shaft extremities thereof journaled in suitable bearings 34 at opposite sides of the frame 1, and one of the shaft extremities of said roll has mounted thereon the double pinion 35, meshing with a similar idlerpinion 36,'journaled at one side of one of the uprights 13, between the pinion 35 and a double gear-pinion 37, mounted on one shaft extremity of the upper stripper-roll 15. The gear-pinion 37 meshes with a similar pinion 38, arranged therebelow and mounted on one shaft extremity of the lower stripper-roll 5, to the other shaft extremity of which is connected a crank-handle 39 to provide for operating the stripping mechanism and the feedbelt delivering thereto.

The upper grooved feed-roll 24 is so constructed that the circular stem-grooves 25 thereof are shallower than the grooves 21 of the upper stripper-roll 15, and the said feedroll is adapted to work in conjunction with a stationary transverse guide-plate 40, arranged directly thereunder. The guide-plate 40 is arranged longitudinally under the roll 24 and extends directly over the belt 3 to a pointinterniediate of the saidfeed-roll and the upper stripper-roll 15 to provide for properly guiding the leaf-stems to the latter roll. The said guide-plate 40 is provided at one edge with a longitudinal series of V-shaped guide-notches 41, having beveled edges 42, that lie very close to the belt 3, so as to positively lift the leaf from the feed-belt and cause it to pass over the top of the guide-plate and under the lower portion of the belts 23,'between the rolls 15 and 24. The said guide-plate 40 is also provided with a series of triangnlarlyshaped guide-fingers 43, that are projected beyond and from the V shaped projections forming the notches 41, and the lower straight edges of said guide-fingers are also disposed very close to the belt 3, so that the guide fingers will positively guide the stems of the leaves therebetween andinto the notches 41, it being noted that the notches 41 are arranged directly under the stem-grooves 25 of the roll 24, while the triangnlarly-shaped fingers 43 are arranged under and rise up toward the end portions of the belts 23, passing around the roll 24 between the grooves thereof. The said fingers 43 are projected from one end of the finger-bars 44, that are secured on top of the plate 40, and said finger-bars form stemgrooves 45 therebetween, .which lead into the notches 41 to receive the stem of the tobacco-leaf guided thereinto, and the upper edges or apex portions of the fingers .the guide-plate 40. The presser-roller 46 has the shaft extremities thereof mounted in the spring-depressed bearing-boxes 47, supported in the bearing-cleats 48, secured to opposite top sideportions of the frame 1, and the said presser-roller serves to spread out the tobacco-leaf and to assist in feeding the same to the guide-plate until the leaf is properly caught up by the belts 23, and intermediate of the rolls 15 and 24, between upper and lower portions of the belts 23, is arranged a transverse guard-bar 49, having in its lower edge a series of transverse grooves to admit of the passage therethrough of the adj acent portions of the belts 23, while at the same time preventing these portions of the belts from being raised too high and also preventing the tobacco-leaf from working between the belts 23 into the space between the rolls 15 and 24.

While the stem of the tobacco-leaf passes into the aligned stem-grooves of the rolls 24 and 15, it will be understood that the leaf itself is guided between the upper portion of the feed-belt 3 and the lower portions of the belts 23, and when the leaf reaches the up-- per stripper-roll 1.5 the contact of the lower stripper-roll 5 against said upper stripperroll 15 will cause the stem of the leaf to, be pressed up into the deep stem-grooves 21 of the roll 15, while at the same time pressing the leaf at both sides of the stem against the flange edges of thegrooves 21, and, therefore, as the belts 23 continue to guide the leaf around and below the lower stripper-roll 5, the leaf will be severed from the stem by the two stripper-rolls and the stem passes out of the grooves 21, through the U-shaped stemnotches 51, formed in .theupper edge ofthe transverse stripper-plate 52.

The stripper-plate 52 is arranged transversely between the uprights 13, at one side of the lower stripper-roll 5, and the stemnotches 51 in the upper edge of said plate are provided with beveled lower sides 52 to allow the stem of the tobacco-leaf to be freely drawn therethrough. The said stemnotches 51 are formed between the inwardlycurved orbent retaining-tongues 53 that pro-- ject into the lower sides of the reduced belt portions .22 of the roll 15 and lie directly over the portions of the belts 23, which pass around the roll 5, and said tongues therefore assist the belts 23 to guide the leaf of the tobacco while the same is being carried around the roll 5, and this disposition of the tongues 53 places the notches 51 in alignment or agreement with the lower portions of the grooves 21 to receive the stem of the tobacco as it is drawn theret'hrough by the superposed contacting drawing-rolls 54.

The drawing-rolls 54 are arranged one above the other at one side of and adjacent to the rolls 5 and 15, and said drawing-rolls grasp the stem of the tobacco and pull the same out from the leaf as the leaf is severed or torn from its stern by the stripper-rolls, as described. The rolls 54 are made of rubber or other suitable material that will maintain a non-slipping grip on the tobacco-stems, and the shaft extremities of the lower of said rolls are journaled in the lower ends of directlyopposite slots 14 of the uprights13, and the shaft extremities of the upper of said rolls are engaged by the vertically-movable bearing-blocks 55, working in the slots directly thereabove, and having resting thereon the opposite end portions of the transverse adjusting-bar 56, the ends of which fit in the slots 14 above the blocks 55 and havebearing thereon the lower ends of the adjustingscrews 57, mounted in opposite ends of the stationary cross-bar 58, connecting the opposite bearinguprights 13. The adjustingscrews 57 provide for maintaining the contact between the rolls 54 for the gripping of the tobacco-stems. The said drawing-rolls 54 are geared together at one end by'the gearpinions 59, and one shaft extremity of the lower of said rolls is geared with one shaft extremity of the lower stripper-roll 5, through the medium of suitable gearing 60.

The drawing-rolls 54 may be more properly termed as rubbercovered rolls, and themanner of mounting said rolls provides means whereby the upper of the same is adj ustably ICO at this point attention is directed to the fact that when the machine is in operation the said rolls are maintained firmly in contact with each other to provide fora proper gripping of the stems as they pass therebetween, and by reason of the fact that the said rolls are rubber or rubber-covered, the contactingsurfaces of said rolls are necessarily of a yielding nature, so that the contacting surfaces or faces ofthe rolls will accommodate themselves to stems of unequal thickness without losing the frictional grip on the same, which is necessary to pull the stems from the body portion ofthe leaves. 7

It will be obvious that when stems of different thicknesses pass between the-contacting drawing-rolls all such stems will embed themselves in the yielding surfaces or faces of the rolls and will thereby be drawn from the stripper-rolls. It is due to this construction of drawing-rolls that abnormally-large stems will not separate the drawingrolls sufficiently far. so as to interfere with agripping of small stems. I

The gearing of the several parts of the stripping mechanism may be so sized as to provide for giving the drawing-rolls '54 a faster rotation than the stripper-rolls 5 and 15, so that the latter rolls will retain a slight grip on the leaf, so that the drawing-rolls will substantially assist in tearing the stems from the' leaf, and thereby more completely sever the stem and the leaf than can possibly be secured by cutting with a knife or saw the leaf from both sides of the stem.

The stemless leaf is guided by the belts 23 below the lower stripper-roll 5, and is delivered into the hopper or receptacle 61, preferably built up within the frame 1, while the stern that is torn from the leaf drops from the rolls 54 at oneend of the machine onto the floor or into any receptacle designed therefor.

The circular stem-grooves 21 of the upper stripper-roll15 are kept clean or free from accumulations of tobacco by means of acleaner-plate 62. The cleaner-plate 62 is arranged transversely between the uprights 13, at one side of the roll 15, above the stripper-plate, and is provided at its lower edge with a series of inwardly-bent spaced rounded groove-lugs 63 that fit in the grooves 21 and accomplish the function referred to, and the portions of the belts 23, that carry the tobacco-leaf below the roll 5, are freed from adhering tobacco by means of a cleaning-brush 64. The cleaningbrushfit is arranged between separate portions of the belts 23 abovethe tension-rol1er 27, and is arranged to projectin between the said belts 23, and the body of said brush is attached to a suitable bracket-plate 65, secured between opposite sides of the. frame 1. At this point attention is further directed to the fact that in the operation of the machine the spaced belts 23 simply act in the capacity of guides to carry the stemmed leaf down between the stripper-rolls and the drawing-rolls at the same time that the stem is drawn out between the drawing-rolls, and therefore, while the said belts insure a positiveoperation, it will be obvious that the same, together with the other feeding devices for the stripper-rolls, may be entirely dispensed with, as illustrated in Fig. 12 of the drawings, and still the leaf will be completely severed from its stem.

Referring particularly to the simplified arrangement shown in Fig. 12 of the drawings it will be seen that only the superposed pairs of adjacent stripper and drawing rolls are used in conjunction with each other at one end of the flat feed-table 2, and with this arrangement of the rolls without auxiliary feeding and guiding devices, the stripperplate 52 will subserve the function of a guide to direct the stemmed leaf below the stripperrolls, while at the same time allowing the.

stem to pass out between the drawing-rolls. In this form of the machine it is simply necessary to lay the unstemmed leaf on the board 2 and to push the same by hand into the grooves of the upper stripper-roll 15, and the contact of the roll 5 with the roll 15 will cause a severance of the leaf on the flange edges of the grooves of said upper stripperroll, as already described, and the stem will pass out between the drawing-rolls and the stemmed leaf down between the adjacent pairs of rolls, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 12.

Another modification is illustrated in Fig. 13 of the drawings, in which the upper stripper-roll 15 is constructed similar to the tension-roller 27, and is provided with a series of spaced peripheral flanges 70, forming stemgrooves 21 between the same, and the face width of the flanges and the grooves 21 are equal. In this modification the lower stripper-roll 5 may be either ungrooved, as illustrated in the other figures of the drawings, or may be provided with a series of spaced peripheral flanges 71 and intermediate grooves 72, corresponding and registering with the similar flanges and grooves 70 21 of the upper stripper-roll 15, and to illustrate the modified construction of the lower stripper-roll 5 a portion of the same is shown ungrooved and a portion constructed as just described.

YVith the modified construction of stripper-rolls referred to the stripper-plate 52 may simply be provided in its upper edge with a series of stem-notches 51, adapted to agree with the grooves 21" of the upper stripperroll to receive the stern of the unstemmed leaf.

Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. In a tobacco stemming machine, the combinationof contacting superposed stripper rolls, the upper of which is provided with peripheral stem grooves, guide belts arranged to pass between the rolls intermediate of the grooves of the upper roll, and superposed drawing rolls arranged at one side of the stripper rolls, substantially as set forth.

2. In a tobacco stemming machine, a pair of contacting stripper rolls, the upper of which is provided with peripheral stem grooves, guide belts passing between the stripper rolls intermediate of said stem grooves and partly around the lower roll, feeding mechanism leading up to the stripper rolls, and a pairof contacting stem drawing rolls arranged at one side of the stripper rolls, substantially as set forth.

3. In a tobacco stemming machine, the combination of a pair of superposed stripper rolls having means to retard the body of the leaf and to permit'a free passage of the stem, a pair of superposed drawing rolls arranged at one side of the stripper rolls, and means for delivering the tobacco leaf in a different direction from the passage of the stem between the drawing rolls, substantially as set forth.

4. In a tobacco stemming machine, the combination of a pair of superposed stripper rolls,

the upper of which is provided with periphoral-stem grooves, a pair of superposed drawrolls mounted in said frame, and having means to retard the body of the leaf and to permit a'free passage of the stem, an upper feed roll mounted within the frame at one side of the upper stripper roll, a tension roller supported within the frame below the stripper rolls, a series of spaced guide belts passed around the feed and tension rolls and partly around said stripper rolls, and a pair of superposed drawing rolls mounted at one side of the stripper rolls, substantially as set forth.

6.- In a tobacco stemming machine, the combination of the frame or stand, a pair of superposed contacting stripper rolls, having means to retard the body of the leaf and to permit a free passage of the stem, a feed belt passing partly around the lower stripper roll, an upper feed roll supported beyond one side of the upper stripper roll, a pair of pivoted bearing arms mounted within the frame or stand below the stripper rolls, means for adjusting said arms,a tension roller journaled between the moving ends of said arms, a series of spaced guide belts passed around the feed and tension rolls and partly around said stripper rolls, and a pair of superposed drawing rolls mounted at one side of the stripper rolls, substantially as set forth.

7. In a tobacco stemming machine, the frame or stand, a pair of upper and lower contac'ting stripper rolls mounted in said frame, the upper of said rolls having peripheral stem grooves, an upper feed roll arranged beyond one side of the upper stripper roll and having peripheral stem grooves shallower than those of the stripper roll, a tension rolleradjustably'supported below the stripper rolls and provided with a series of peripheral flanges, a series of spaced guide belts passed around the feed and tension rolls and partly around the stripper rolls, said guide belts working between the stem grooves of the upper stripper and of .the feed roll, and a pair of superposed contacting stem drawing rolls mounted at one side of the stripper roll, substantially as set forth.

8. In a'tobacco stemming machine, the combination of the frame, a pair of superposed contacting stripper rolls mounted within the frame, the lower of said rolls being fixed and the upper of said rolls being adjustable, said upper stripper roll being provided with aparallel series of circular stem grooves and reduced belt portions intermediate of said grooves, a feed belt passed partly around the lower stripper roll, an upper feed roll arranged beyond one side of the upper stripper roll and similar in construction thereto, the

stem grooves of said feed roll being shallower than the similargrooves of the upper stripper roll, a series of spaced guide belts passed partly around the stripper rolls and around said feed roll, and a pair of superposed drawing rolls, substantially as set forth.

9. In a tobacco stemming machine, the combination of the frame, a pair of superposed contacting stripper rolls mounted within the frame, the upper of said rolls being vertically adjustable and provided with alternate peripheral grooves and reduced belt portions, an upper feed roll located beyond one side of the upper stripper roll and provided with alternate peripheral grooves and reduced belt portions, a feed belt passing around the lower stripper roll, a series of spaced guide belts passing around the upper feed roll and partly around the stripper rolls, a stem guide arranged over the feed belt and under the feed roll and guide belts, a self-adjusting presser roller arranged over and in contact with the feed belt near said feed roll, and a pair of drawing rolls arranged atone side of said stripper rolls, substantially as set forth.

10. In a tobacco stemming machine, the

combination of the frame, a pair of superposed contacting stripper rolls, the upper of which is provided with spaced peripheral stem grooves, a lower tension roller adjustably supported below the stripper rolls, a feed roll arranged beyond one side of the upper stripper roll and provided with a series of peripheral stem grooves, a series of spaced guide belts passed around the feed roll and tension roller and partly around the stripper rolls, a feed belt passed around the lower stripper roll under the guide belts and a stem guide ar ranged over the feed belt under the feed roll and provided with a series of projecting guide fingers, the notches between which are in line with the stem grooves of the feed and upper stripper rolls, and the drawing rolls, substan tially as set forth.

1l.'In a tobacco stemming machine, the combination with the feed belt and the adjacent peripherally grooved feed roll and the stripper rolls the upper of which stripper rolls is also peripherally grooved; of the transverse guide plate arranged over the feed belt below said feed roll and provided with top stem grooves, a longitudinal series of V-shaped beveled guide notches at one edge and leading into said grooves, andtriangularly shaped guide fingers .projected beyond and from the V-shaped projections forming said notches,

and the guide belts arranged to pass over the stem grooves of said plate, substantially as set forth,

12. In a tobacco stemming machine, the combination of the frame,-a pair of superposed contacting stripper rolls mounted within the frame and having means to retard the body of the leaf and to permit a free passage of the stem, an upper feed roll supported beyond one side of the upper stripper roll, a feed belt passing around the lower stripper roll, a pair of superposed contacting drawing rolls for the stem of the leaf, a series of spaced guide belts passed around said feed roll and partly around the stripper rolls, atransverse guide arranged under the feed roll and having a series of projecting guide fingers alternating with the spaces between the guide belts passing around said feed roll, and a transverse guide bar arranged between the upper and lower portions of the guide belts and between the feed roll and upper stripper roll, said bar being provided in its lower edge with a series of transverse grooves to receive the portions of the guide belts below the bar, substantially as set forth.

13. In a tobacco stemming machine, the combination of the frame, a pair of superposed contacting stripper rolls mounted in said frame, the upper of said rolls being provided with a series of spaced stem grooves, the feed belt arranged to pass over the lower stripper roll, a series of guide belts arranged to pass partly around the upper side of both stripper rolls intermediate of said stem grooves, and a stationary transverse stripper plate arranged within the frame at one side of the lower stripper roll and provided at its upper edge with an edge series of stem notches in alignment with the stem grooves of the upper stripper roll, substantially as set forth.

14. In a tobacco stemming machine, the combination with the frame, the superposed contacting stripper rolls, the upper of which is provided with a series of alternate circular stem grooves and reduced belt portions, the feed belt, and the spaced guide belts; of astationary transverse stripper plate arranged within the frame at one side of the lower stripper roll and provided at its upper edge stripper and drawing rolls, a series of spaced guide belts passed partly around the stripper rolls and traveling below the same, a stationary cleaner plate arranged at one side of the upper stripper roll and provided at its lower edge with a series of inwardly bent spaced lugs projecting into the grooves of said roll, and a cleaning brush arranged to project between the separate guide belts at a point below the stripper rolls, substantially as set forth. r

16. In a tobacco stemming machine, the combination of a pair of superposed stripper rolls having means to retard the body of the leaf and to permit a free passage of the stem, and a pair of adjacent superposed drawing rolls adapted to grasp and pull the stem from the body of the leaf held by the stripper rolls, substantially as set forth.

17. In a tobacco stemming machine, the combination of a pair of superposed contacting stripper rolls the upper of which is provided with a series of peripheral stem grooves adapted to receive the leaf stem pressed thereinto by the lower stripper roll, said lower stripper rollbeing also adapted to bind the to-' bacco leaf at the side of the stem against the flange edges of said grooves to sever the leaf from the stem, and a pair of superposed contacting drawing rolls arranged at one side of the stripper rolls and adapted to grasp and pull the stem from the leaf held bythe latter rolls, substantially as set forth.

18. In a tobacco stemming machine, a pair of superposed contacting stripper rolls having means to retard the body of the leaf and to permit a free passage of the stem, and a pair of adjacent superposed faster-rotating drawing rolls adapted to grasp and pull the stem from the body-of the leaf while held by the stripper rolls, substantially as set forth.

19. In a tobacco stemming machine, the combination of a pair of superposed stripper rolls having means to retard the body of the leaf and to permit a free passage of the stem, and a pair of superposed adjacent rubber or rubber covered drawing rolls adapted to grasp and pull the stem from the body of the leaf while held by the stripper rolls, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim theforegoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH B. UNDERIVOOD.

WVitnesses:

J. H. SIGGERS, E. G. SIGGERS. 

